Girl Next Door
by KungFuu
Summary: Kane's dreary existence completely changes when a pretty girl named Katie moves in across the street. We all know how the story ends, but this is how it begins. Kane/Katie Vick
1. Chapter 1

_Title: _Girl Next Door

_Summary: _Kane's dreary existence completely changes when a pretty girl named Katie moves in across the street. We all know how the story ends, but this is how it started. Kane/Katie

_Disclaimer: _I don't own it. Unlike everyone else in the world, though, I was actually pretty amused by the Katie Vick story line. That's probably because I'm a crass and immature.

**Chapter 1**

Oak Ridge Street was puddled with rain and the bare-limbed trees that lined the curbs shivered in the cool, autumn breeze. It was not completely dark yet, but the sky had been an ominous gray all afternoon, threatening to downpour at the slightest provocation. From a broken down house on the very end of the street, a pretty girl stepped onto her porch and pressed a cigarette against her chapped lips. Her long sleeved white T-shirt was a poor defense against the chill, and she absently rubbed her free hand over her shoulder as she smoked.

Her green eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she gazed across the street. She lived across from what was easily the ugliest, most poorly kept house on the block. The grass had grown to seed, obscuring the rotting baseboards of a dark brown house with green shudders. She pulled the cigarette away from her lips and breathed out the smoke in a lop-sided ring, wondering if he would emerge or not. The stormy sky must have suited his mood, because she hadn't been standing outside long before he lumbered around from the back, looking for all the world like a serial killer coming onto a movie set or something. Her lips quirked into a smile.

He was a tall guy, and it was hard for her to believe he was as young as he claimed to be. Nineteen-year-olds shouldn't be built like tanks. Upon first glance, he was repulsive. His curly, long brown hair was greasy and unevenly cut, hanging about his face awkwardly. He hid behind the dark curtain of hair and very rarely showed her his mismatched eyes. He wore a green military shirt with the sleeves and the name tag ripped off, and she'd never seen him dressed in anything else. The garment smelled horrible, and it was dotted with grease stains and grime. His skin looked strange, as some patches and swathes were especially pale and shiny while the rest of it was a healthy, normal color. She'd learned this was because he'd been burned as a child. Despite her initial fear of him, since moving onto the block with her parents a few months previously, she'd come to enjoy his company.

Not pausing to look both ways before he crossed, he was soon standing on the porch beside her.

"You want a coke or something?" she asked. He shook his head no. She'd never heard him speak without a small device that he pressed against his throat. After she hadn't chased him off with a pitchfork, and they'd gotten to know each other a bit, he'd told her his larynx was damaged in the fire that marred his skin. It was hard for him to speak without aid, though he told her he could do it if he had to. She knew it was a strain on him, though. It was surprising how much he managed to convey without speaking at all.

"Your dad come home yet?" she asked. Kane watched her tuck a wayward strand of her dirty blonde hair behind the delicate curve of her ear before he answered, pulling his speech aid out of his pocket to reply.

"He sent some cash," Kane said. Katie frowned slightly, not even able to imagine how hard Kane's existence was. He'd dropped out of high school and had been in and out of hospitals and institutions all his life. His dad was a huge, creepy guy that left him alone most of the time, only rarely dropping in to give him money to survive. Self-conscious about his burns and his limited speech ability, he never ventured far from his house, buying all his groceries at the gas station near the entrance to the neighborhood. If his father went too long without sending money, he simply went without food and lived without electricity or running water. Kane told her this had only happened twice, but he hadn't forgotten the hunger pains and the fear that he was going to simply rot away and nobody would ever know. He'd been twelve the last time it happened. Overhearing this story, Katie's soft-hearted mother had nearly cried, and made Kane promise he would come over and eat dinner with them, and not to hesitate to ask if he ever needed anything.

"I'm going out tonight, and on my way home I can get you some actual groceries. You eat too much junk food. It's not good for you, ya know?" she said. He grimaced, and his intense gaze flashed to her cigarette from behind his curtain of hair. When he pressed his box against his throat, his voice was especially slow and pointed.

"And you'll end up talking with one of these if you keep smoking," Kane replied. She smirked, and to appease him she snuffed the cigarette out on the porch railing.

"Do you want me to get you some groceries or not?" she repeated. Kane considered the idea and then nodded. The last time she'd shopped for him, he'd eaten like a king for weeks. Pop tarts and greasy gas station food got disgusting pretty quickly. She'd even used some of the groceries to cook meals for him.

"You should come to dinner tonight, too. My mom will be all alone and she hates that." The massive teen nodded. Katie shivered again and wished she'd put on a jacket before she came outside. She'd have to wear sleeves under her cheer uniform at the game later that night.

"I finally made a friend on the squad. She reminds me of a girl I used to know back home," she commented absently. Kane leaned against her house and simply listened. "Community college sucks. I don't know why I thought it would be any different from high school. My dad might get to come see me cheer sometime next week, though." Katie's dad was a truck driver, and he was hardly ever home. He loved football, and he'd come to most of Katie's games throughout high school. He also loved to see his daughter cheer, because she was good at it, and he liked seeing her so happy and full of life. Thinking of her dad made Katie glance up at Kane, wondering if he'd ever been to a football game.

"You wanna see the cheer I've been learning?" she asked. Kane didn't reply, but she caught the small grin on his face. "Okay, but it's not perfect yet so don't be too harsh a critic." Wanting to get warm from the exercise, she jogged out into her front yard and did a few quick stretches. Kane crossed his big forearms over his chest and she knew she had his complete attention. She moved into the routine fluidly, tumbling and cartwheeling with ease despite the slippery grass. When she finished, she wiped her slick hands off on her pants and ducked out of the sprinkling rain that had started. Her chin-length hair was damp, and her cheeks were flushed with color. Kane could see the outline of her bra through the damp, thin material of her shirt, but he was careful not to stare directly. He pressed his box to his throat.

"You're really good," he complimented. She smiled up at him, pleased with the praise.

"My coach says I could probably get hired as a cheerleader for an actual sports team when I finish my associates degree. I mean, it would just be the minor leagues, but it would still be a really fun job." Katie was currently getting her license to be a nurse's assistant, but the idea of cheering for a living seemed so much more appealing.

"You wanna work on the truck?" she asked. Her father had taken a liking to Kane, and he'd given him an old truck he'd been planning on fixing up but had never gotten around to working on. Her dad said Kane was smart—he'd picked up on how to do the repairs like a natural and he'd clearly read the old repair manual that her dad had loaned him from cover to cover. Katie didn't know much about cars, but she liked to sit in the truck and talk while Kane worked on the old piece of junk. She liked it best when her dad was home to help them, but it was fun when it was just her and Kane, too.

Kane obviously had nothing better to do and liked her suggestion.

"Just let me grab a jacket first. It's getting cold out here. I'll meet you out in the garage, okay?" she said. She popped inside long enough to grab a hoodie and then told her mother that she and Kane would be outside.

"Tell him to come to dinner tonight," her mother said from her spot on the couch. She was watching a cooking show.

"I already did," Katie replied, as she headed out the back door. Kane had pushed the garage door open to reveal the rusty blue truck and her father's disorganized collection of tools and other random junk. Kane knew exactly where he'd left off, and after a few seconds of choosing his tools, he was tinkering away under the hood. Katie sat on a barstool nearby, just watching him work.

"You have any plans Kane? Like, for what you want to do with your life?" Katie asked curiously. The fact didn't escape her that lately, she'd been spending more and more of her time hanging out with Kane in her garage, just talking, or doing her homework, or eating dinner with him and her family. She hadn't bothered to make any new friends in college. A few guys had asked her to come to their parties and she'd gone, and she was slowly warming up to another girl on her squad, but she was nothing like the social butterfly she'd been in high school. Since moving to Texas with her parents, she'd turned into a regular homebody.

It was kind of weird how much time she was spending with Kane. It was almost like they were dating. She usually dated guys from the football team, who tended to be attractive and not much else. They never listened to her like Kane did, and they were never satisfied with just spending time together.

Kane stopped what he was doing under the hood to reply to her.

"I'm going to be a wrestler," he said. She arched her eyebrows in surprise.

"Wow. Didn't expect that one. How exactly do you plan on doing that?" she asked, intrigued.

"That's what my dad does. He manages wrestlers. He's going to find me a trainer soon."

Katie was surprised to learn what Kane's father did for a living. He drove a hearse, so she had just assumed he worked for a funeral parlor or something. If he was in the funeral business, though, he probably would have been home more. Now the guy just seemed even freakier for driving a hearse when he didn't actually need it for his job.

"That's really cool, Kane. You'd make a badass wrestler," she said, keeping her thoughts on Kane's father to herself. "How soon is soon, though? You aren't going to bail on me here, are you? I mean, who am I going to spend all my time with if you go off to become a big star?" Kane didn't reply, and Katie wondered if her words had been to flirtatious. She knew he had feelings for her, perhaps very deep feelings. Joking about no longer seeing each other would only upset him. She smiled fondly at his hunched back, guessing at the direction his thoughts were heading. He was the kind of guy that would stick around as long as she asked him to, no matter what it meant he had to give up.

"I guess I'll just have to come and see you wrestle," she laughed, an amusing idea occurring to her, "Once you're making the big bucks, you can hire me to be your cheerleader," she finished, smiling. He turned, staring at her directly for once. He had a small, almost boyish smile on his face. He didn't say anything, he just smiled at her.

She found herself blushing under his stare, and she nervously messed with her hair so that she'd have something to do with her hands. Finally, he turned back to the engine. She changed the subject to her classes, and about how she needed to find a part-time job soon.

After an hour, it was time for her to get ready to go. Kane wiped the grease off his hands with an already dirtied towel and left the garage with her. She said goodbye to him, reminding him to come back over for dinner later, and then went inside to get ready.

A/N: This story is already finished, and I'll post the rest if I get reviews. I'm joking. But seriously, review me, mkay? Reviews make me almost as happy as seeing Kane on television! (Almost) Oh, I should also mention that I was one of the few that didn't think the Katie Vick story line was lame. It was offensive and immature, but funny, so it balanced out. I actually thought it had interesting possibilities, as this existence of this story shows.


	2. Chapter 2

_Title_: Girl Next Door

_Disclaimer:_ Nope, don't own it. I really wish I was a writer for the WWE, though. How sweet would that be? Of course, Vince would probably take issue with the fact that I'd find a way to give all the titles to Kane at the same time. Then I'd have all of them forged into one belt, called the WWE WORLD INTERCONTINENTAL US HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM DIVA CHAMPION SUPER BELT. That's right, it would also include the Diva belts. Kane's secure enough in his masculinity to wear a Diva belt. Wow, to think this started out as a disclaimer...

**Chapter 2**

Kane went home and decided to clean up. Katie's mother kept her house very neat and tidy, and he was always worried he would stain something. He didn't have much as far as clothing went, but he decided to look in his father's closet to see what he had. Of course, his father was much bigger around than he was, but he could probably find something that would work. On principle, he stayed out of his father's room. It was just as dirty and foul smelling as his own, and the furniture was equally broken down and ugly, but there were things in his father's room that upset him.

On his window there was a picture of Kane's mother. His father had caught him holding the picture once and he'd been given the most horrible beating of his young life. He'd never touched it since that day, and he'd stayed out of Paul's room. On another wall, there were countless photos of _him_. Newspaper clippings, photographs, magazine articles...all the proof of his brother's completely undeserved success. Kane assumed Paul kept up with the collection to remind him of their shared goal; both of them wanted nothing more than to see the man responsible for killing Suzanne and Angus Callaway completely destroyed. Kane would ruin his career and destroy his body. He wanted so badly to see the look on Mark's face when he realized the weak, helpless little brother he'd left for dead had not just disappeared. He'd survived. He would come for Mark one day.

Kane shook his head to chase away the memories, tearing his pain-filled eyes away from the collage dedicated to his brother. Instead, he opened the drawers in the dresser, searching for something clean and wearable. He found some white T-shirts folded up messily and held one up against his chest, deciding it would fit him. He only had two pair of pants, and the ones he was wearing were the cleaner pair, so they'd just have to do. He headed to the bathroom, carelessly stomping a roach on the way. He turned on the water and stripped down hastily, avoiding looking at himself in the mirror. He scrubbed with a grimy bar of soap and then re-dressed. He shaved without once looking at his reflection, but he managed not to cut himself. He'd been avoiding his scarred reflection for years. He cleaned his teeth with a brush that had seen better days and probably should have been thrown away years ago. As presentable as he could make himself, he headed across the street.

Katie's mother let him in with a big smile. She was always so kind to him. Kane didn't quite know how to react to her pampering and fretting over him, but he enjoyed it all the same. He liked to think that if his mother had lived, she would be like Katie's mom. The few memories he had of his mother reminded him of Lisa Vick. They both always smelled like they'd just been cooking something good in the kitchen, and she had a musical laugh.

"Come in out of the cold, sweetheart. Don't you have a winter coat? I'll have to get you something next time I'm out. You'll get sick in this weather if you don't dress warm. Just take a seat in the kitchen. It's almost ready. Do you like lasagna?" For some inexplicable reason, Kane was very shy about speaking in front of Lisa. He merely nodded, and went to sit where she'd told him to go.

"You look nice tonight, Kane. I'm glad you came over to keep me company. I just hate being in an empty house—can't stand it!" Lisa, like her daughter, was talented at holding a mostly one-sided conversation. Kane breathed in deeply when he entered the kitchen. The heavenly aroma smelled so good, and the bright, warm kitchen must have been the most welcoming place in the world. He sat happily, his mouth already watering. Lisa bustled about the kitchen for a few moments and then brought two loaded plates to the table, followed by two glasses of sweat tea. She turned the news on in the living room and they listened as they ate. Kane devoured the food like a starving man. Lisa was a good cook, but just eating something that had been fixed in an oven was a huge treat for Kane.

"You like it, dear?" Lisa asked, offering him a smile. Kane nodded, too busy eating to stop and speak. Lisa loved watching Kane eat her cooking—he was definitely the most appreciative person she'd ever prepared a meal for. She'd made sure to make lots, so that he'd have some to take home with him. The huge teenager cleared his plate in record time. She fixed him another wordlessly, and they continued to listen to the news in companionable silence. She finished her own plate and took it to the sink, rinsing the dish and putting it away. She began packing up the leftovers for Kane.

From her spot on the sofa, Katie's yappy little dog roused from her nap and began barking. She raced to the back door yipping and yowling.

"Dolly, hush!" Lisa scolded. The little dog wasn't usually so annoyingly loud. "You need to go potty?" Lisa asked, opening the back door. The little dog didn't go outside, rather she moved into the doorway and resumed her loud yapping. That was when Lisa realized someone was inside her garage, and it certainly wasn't her daughter or her husband. Kane appeared behind her, and she was suddenly extremely grateful for her neighbor's presence. This was exactly the reason she hated being left at home alone.

Ignoring Kane's questioning look, she ran to the phone after scooping up Dolly and firmly locking the door. She hastily dialed 911. Kane watched her silently, his eyes narrowed intently. Ignoring her shaking head, he went to the window and peeked out the blinds. Dolly was still barking aggressively.

"Yes! There's someone breaking into my garage!" she said quickly into the phone. The receptionist asked her if she was hurt, and if she was alone. "No, my neighbor was eating dinner with me. We're safe in the house—oh my god! Kane, what are you doing?! Come back inside right this second!" Lisa shouted frantically. Carrying the phone with her as far as it would stretch, she watched anxiously as Kane stepped onto the back porch calmly. He glanced around in the dark, and then picked up a broom. He broke it over a large thigh, creating a sharpened point on one end. Armed with the make-shift club, he fearlessly walked towards the garage.

"Tell me what's happening," the calm voice on the phone asked her.

"My neighbor's going out into the garage. He's got a broom handle."

"Tell him to come back inside," the operator replied.

"I did!" Lisa retorted. "He's not listening! Kane! Come back! What if they have a _gun_?"

Kane didn't even hesitate. He walked into the dark garage, and Lisa nearly went insane with worry. She heard scuffling, and cursing. Then silence. In the distance, she heard sirens approaching. Someone turned the garage light on, and Lisa sighed in relief. Looking no worse for wear, Kane emerged from the garage. Lisa's eyes widened when she saw the pointed end of the broom handle was bloody.

"He's alright, but I think he stabbed the man in the garage," Lisa said quickly into the phone. Kane carelessly tossed the broom handle aside and came in. Dolly seemed appeased, and she returned to her perch on the chair. The sirens grew louder. "Kane, are you okay?" Lisa asked. The tall boy merely nodded, as if dispatching the prowler had been nothing out of the ordinary. Kane pulled his box from his pocket, pressing it against his throat.

"There was only one guy. I think he was stealing."

"What did you do to him?" Lisa asked. "Is he...alive?" His big brown eyes were huge, and all the color had drained from her face. Kane grinned.

"He'll be okay. I got blood all over your garage. I'll clean it up," Kane replied. Forgetting the phone, Lisa darted forward and wrapped the tall teenager in a hug.

"Forget about that you silly boy, I'm just glad you're not hurt! Thank god you were here!" she said. Kane stood frozen, completely unsure of how to respond. Lisa let him go, and went to answer the knocking on the door. When the cop came inside, he immediately looked suspiciously at Kane. Lisa hastily explained.

"This is my neighbor. He was over having dinner with me when the dog started barking. He went out to investigate and took care of whoever is out there," Lisa said. The police officer nodded, and walked towards the back door.

"This way?" he confirmed. Lisa nodded, opening the door for him. The officer had a nightstick ready. Kane followed after him, until the officer told him to stay put. Kane shrugged and hung back. It wasn't like the guy in the garage was much of a threat. It was just some skinny kid in a ski mask trying to steal Mr. Vick's tools. Lisa came to stand beside him, watching anxiously. Inside the house, Dolly had started yapping again.

The police officer emerged with the guy in handcuffs. The puncture wound in his leg was sluggishly bleeding, and he had to lean heavily on the officer to hobble outside. The ambulance pulled up into the driveway. Kane watched with mild interest as the man was loaded inside. A new police officer went with the burglar in the ambulance, and the one who had arrived initially came back over to them. He proceeded to ask Lisa a long stream of questions, and then he turned to Kane. Kane sighed, pulling out his box. He was going to have a sore throat after this.

The police officer didn't bat an eye at his way of communication, but Kane could tell he made the smaller man uncomfortable. He was probably extremely grateful that Kane had been the neighbor and not the burglar.

"I went to the garage. He came at me, trying to get out the door, and I dropped him to the ground and caught him in the leg with the broom. I turned on the light. He wasn't moving, so I checked his pulse. He had just passed out. Then I came back inside." Kane fell silent. The officer jotted down what he said and thankfully didn't ask anymore questions.

"It was a good thing you were here, but next time you shouldn't risk your life like that. He could have been armed. You were lucky you weren't hurt. It's better to let them get away with some tools than lose your life over it," the officer chided. Kane smirked. With slow, measured movements he pressed the box to his throat, narrowing his eyes down at the officer. The shorter man leaned backwards, clearly uneasy.

"I'm not the one in the ambulance." The officer cleared his throat and flipped through his notepad, not meeting Kane's stare.

"Alright, I've gotten everything I need. Are you going to be alright here, Mrs. Vick?" the officer asked. Lisa smiled amusedly up at Kane and then patted his arm.

"I think I'll be just fine. Thank you for coming, officer." The man made a hasty exit, and Lisa chuckled once he was gone.

"You did his job for him. He could have at least thanked you. I think you scared him. Suffice it to say I'm glad you were here instead of our brave police officer." Kane smirked. She waved him towards the couch. "I'm going to call Katie. Would you mind staying till she gets here?" Kane simply nodded and sat. Katie's dog eyed him nervously from across the living room, but made no move to approach him. He'd previously thought the little fur ball was annoying and useless, but at least it had tipped him off to the burglar. Still, being home alone so much, the two women needed something bigger than the miniature dog.

Lisa reassured her daughter over the phone that she was fine, and then she called her husband. He wanted to speak to Kane. Kane pulled out his box once again.

"Kane? Are you okay, son?" Earl Vick asked.

"Fine. He was after your tools."

"God damn it. Thank god you were there. I'm three states away but I'm going to make my delivery tonight and head that way. Can you stay there tonight?" Mr. Vick asked without hesitation. Kane could tell that, like a good father, the man was worried sick about his wife and daughter.

"Yes," Kane replied simply. He passed the phone back to Lisa. Earl explained to her that he'd asked Kane to stay, and told her he was on his way home.

"Alright, honey, but don't try to drive all night or anything. We're fine. Kane's here, and the police were here really quickly. They'll come even faster if we have to call again. I love you." Lisa hung up the phone. "Ugh, what a night! This is too much excitement for me. I'm going to make sure all the doors and windows are locked up. Katie leaves her window open sometimes, even though I've told her a thousand times to keep it locked." Lisa went down the hall to the bedrooms that Kane had never seen. He wondered what Katie's room looked like. He stayed where he was, though. He was proud of himself for protecting Mrs. Vick and earning the trust of her husband. Lisa came back after a few moments and then went into the kitchen. She occupied herself with random things until Katie nearly busted the door in.

"Mom, I'm here," she called out. Kane's eyes widened at the sight of her. She wore her cheer uniform, and he'd never seen a girl look so beautiful. Lisa came out of the kitchen and hugged her daughter, immediately launching into the whole story. Kane tried not to smile proudly when she raved about how brave he'd been, and how easily he'd taken care of the burglar. The highlight of the night, perhaps his life, came when Katie came over and tucked his hair behind his ear, kissing his cheek.

"Thanks. I owe you big time," she said, offering him a sweet smile. He knew he was blushing, but he couldn't help it. He ducked his head and stared at his clenched fists, trying to get himself under control. Katie went into the kitchen with her mother, giving him a second alone to recover.

When he was relatively sure he wasn't blushing, he went into the kitchen as well. In her nervousness, Lisa had started baking cookies. Dolly had followed after her owner and Katie was smothering the little yapper with affection and kisses, praising her for barking at the burglar. Kane was jealous for a second, and then he remembered his own kiss. A small smile came to his face and it lingered there, unwilling to go away. He'd had his first kiss, from a girl like Katie, no less. He didn't realize he was staring at her until she caught his eye and grinned.

"So I hear you're going to camp out on our couch and protect us until my worried father gets home," she said amusedly. Kane nodded. "You really stabbed him with a broomstick? That's amazing. Serves the jerk right. I bet he realized Dad wasn't home much and decided to take advantage. What a prick."

"He was crying like a baby when the officer hauled him out of the garage. I hope he doesn't have a way of making bail," Lisa commented. For the first time, Kane could see the similarities between mother and daughter. Even though Lisa was shorter and rounder than her daughter, they had the same green eyes and full lips. Katie had clearly gotten her light hair and her height from her father, though. Katie was so beautiful—he wondered what she saw when she looked at him.

It couldn't be too bad, because she'd kissed him. Maybe he really did have a chance with her. Even while they were ranting against the burglar, Kane was secretly thanking him for giving him the chance to be the hero for once, instead of the monster. Katie kept smiling at him, almost like they were sharing some kind of private joke between just the two of them.

"I know your father's going to drive like hell to get here, but I hope he's careful. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about now," Lisa said. Katie hugged her dog close, a thoughtful look on her pretty face.

"I don't know. He might have had someone parked down the street or something to help him drive off. I didn't notice any strange cars."

"You're right. We should be careful the next couple days. Maybe I should call someone to install an alarm system?" Lisa mused. "It would probably be expensive though, and Earl will want to pick what brand we use."

"Well, until Daddy gets home we have Kane—he's better than an alarm, anyway. Home security won't go into your garage and stab the guy." Kane smirked. Katie was flashing him that smile again. He felt something in his chest tighten, and he wondered if he was in love with her. The moment was broken by a knock on the front door.

"Who could that be?" Lisa wondered. Her eyes went to Kane, who wordlessly went to answer it. A tall, handsome guy looked up at him in surprise.

"I must have the wrong house. I'm looking for the Vick residence," he said unsurely. Kane's eyes narrowed. He didn't like this guy, whoever he was. Katie appeared at his side.

"Daniel? What are you doing here?" she asked, clearly surprised. Kane's grip on the doorknob tightened. Daniel glanced at him warily.

"Err...I asked Coach to let me go so I could come check on you. I didn't realize your...um...brother was here. I guess you're okay, then."

"It's nice of you to come by, but yeah, I think Kane's got it covered," Katie glanced up at him, noticing how tense he was. Her eyes lit with understanding, and she smiled softly at him. "He's not my brother, though. He's my...friend." she said slowly. Daniel looked between the two of them, perhaps realizing the new blonde on the squad wasn't as available as he hoped.

He certainly wasn't going to tangle with the huge guy that had answered the door, though. He didn't have a death wish. The guy looked like he should be starring in a horror movie. If he was Katie's type, then he was barking up the wrong tree. Hell, he was in the wrong forest.

"I guess I'll head back to the game, then. I'll let everyone know you're okay."

"Thanks, Daniel. I'll see you later. Drive safe," she said. He nodded and left. Katie closed the door. Daniel was a nice guy, and six months ago, she would have been very interested in him, but for some reason she didn't want to encourage him at all now.

She had a feeling her reason was walking with her back into the kitchen.

"Who was it?" her mother asked. Katie shrugged dismissively.

"Just some guy from the team checking up on us. He went back to the game."

"Oh, well that was sweet of him," Lisa replied. Katie, Kane was pleased to note, seemed ready to drop the subject. That was a good sign. Maybe she did like him. After all, she could have just let Daniel think he was her brother.

"So you really don't mind sleeping over here tonight, Kane? The couch pulls out into a bed, but I don't know that it's very comfortable," Lisa fretted. Kane pulled out his box.

"It's fine," He replied. Lisa nodded, and then fussed over Katie, trying to persuade her into taking a vitamin and eating some of the left-overs. The cookies were ready soon afterwards, and Katie childishly skipped dinner in order to eat three cookies with a large glass of milk. Once the three of them had eaten dessert, Lisa and Katie pulled out the sofa bed for him. The two women brought out a small mountain of blankets and pillows. Katie, with a mischievous smile, came into the living room dressed in her pajamas. She made herself comfortable on the sofa bed, and patted the spot next to her.

"As long as you're here, and you'll be staying the night....you want to watch a horror movie?" Katie asked with a grin. Lisa groaned.

"You're crazy. I can't believe you want to watch a horror film the same night we nearly get robbed. I'm having no part in this. I'm going to sleep uneasy enough as it is. I'll see you kids in the morning. Don't stay up too late." Lisa went down the hallway, and Kane nervously took off his boots and sat down on the couch bed. He got comfortable almost immediately, as it was ten times softer than the thin mattress he slept on at home. Katie sat close beside him, but their bodies didn't touch. Kane memorized how she looked in the soft pink pajama pants and the white tank top. She was wearing a sports bra still, but there was still something intimate about seeing her in her nightclothes.

Kane realized with a barely concealed smirk that he'd seen her in a cheerleading uniform and her pajamas in the same day. He must be on a lucky streak.

Katie chose a pay-per-view horror film about some kids going out to a cabin in the woods and methodically being picked off by a killer. As the movie progressed, Katie moved a little closer to him, so that she was practically leaning against his shoulder. Kane wondered if he should put his arm around her, and about two-thirds through the movie, he finally worked up the courage.

She relaxed against his side almost immediately, and Kane let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He was hyper-aware when Katie leaned over to make sure her mother's bedroom door was closed, and then turned towards him, kissing his cheek again. Kane swallowed thickly. He turned his face, catching her lips against his own. He was awkward, but she was experienced and tilted her head in just the right way. She opened her mouth first, encouraging him to do the same. To the backdrop of a girl screaming on low volume as she was skillfully hacked to pieces, Kane experienced his first make-out session.

Katie felt amazing in his arms, and while he'd always imagined she'd probably taste unpleasant because of all the cigarettes he always caught her smoking, after their dessert earlier she tasted like chocolate. It was addicting. He never wanted to let her go. Her fingers treaded into his hair and she shifted onto his lap. He wanted her so badly. His hold around her waist tightened possessively, and she moaned quietly against his mouth. Taking that as a sign that she was enjoying herself, Kane let his hands wander where they wanted. He felt over her smooth, bare shoulder, and cupped her silky hair at the nape of her neck. With his other hand, he caressed her thigh, all the while slanting his mouth over hers again and again.

The movie ended, and infomercials began to play. She pulled back, ending their kiss, and for a long moment she simply stared at him. Then smiling, she leaned forward and pecked his lips sweetly.

"I've wanted to do that for awhile," she whispered. Kane merely nodded. She had no idea how long he'd wanted her. He'd been fantasizing about her since the day she moved in. He couldn't quite comprehend that she was really in his arms, kissing him, saying that she wanted him, too. Surely something like that was impossible.

"I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" she said. He nodded. "Thanks for staying, and thank you for taking care of my mom. Going after that guy—that was really, _really_ sexy." Kane smirked and she returned his grin. After one last, sweet, lingering kiss she got off his lap and headed towards her bedroom. "Goodnight," she said softly.

Kane sunk into the pillows, covering his face with his hands. Calling it a 'good night' didn't even begin to cover it.

A/N: So things heat up a bit. Thanks to my reviewers! I try really hard to keep Kane in character. I have the tendency to make him want to talk a lot more than he probably would, so I'm always rewriting what he says to make it as short as possible. In this chapter, I mentioned the names I gave to Kane and Taker's parents in an earlier story I wrote, _Last Summer_. Check it out if you like how I describe Kane's past. I really love Kane, and WWE in general, so I plan to write many more fics for this genre in the future! :)


	3. Chapter 3

_Title: _Girl Next Door

_Disclaimer: _Still don't own it. I am,however, making millions of dollars off of it. Fistfuls of money. Oh yeah.

**Chapter 3**

Katie sat in the passenger seat as her father drove them to her football game. They'd spent the morning working on the truck, but Kane had not joined them. His father had returned home, and then Kane had come over to tell her he would be leaving for a week, in order to go meet a trainer. She'd wished him luck and made him promise to call her. He'd seemed reluctant to go and excited at the same time. She'd been excited for him, hoping and knowing he would impress anyone that gave him a chance. Kane had also introduced her to his father, but that had been awkward and Katie had a very low opinion of the man that had left Kane to practically fend for himself, so she tried to forget it had even happened. The man was nothing like his son. He was fat and his voice was high-pitched, and he scared her. Kane had kept their meeting short, and quickly taken her back home.

Now that he was out of the picture for a few days, it gave her time to bring up the subject to her father. Katie had never really talked to her parents about the guys she wanted to date. She hadn't been interested in one until she was sixteen, and it had only been as a date to the prom. Her dad had given him the typical 'take care of my daughter or else' speech, but after that, they'd let her go out with whomever she pleased.

Kane was different, though. She didn't know why, but he just was. She didn't want her father to dislike him because Katie was interested in him. She didn't want him to think he'd tried to take advantage of him being out of of town so much, either. She loved that Kane got along so well with her parents, and she wanted it to stay that way.

"Dad, I wanted to talk to you about something," she said. He glanced over at her.

"What is it, pumpkin?"

"What do you think about Kane?" she asked. Her father smiled a bit.

"Your mother tipped me off that you like him. I gotta say I'm surprised. Kane's not like the other boys you've brought home, but I think he's a good kid. He's been through a lot. I can't say I would have turned out as well as he has with the cards he's been dealt."

"I wanted you to know that I started things between us. He would never have taken advantage of you being gone. He's been really respectful."

"Just how long has this been going on?" her dad asked, seeming surprised that they were already together.

"Only a week or so. It was after the burglar incident."

"While he stayed at the house..."

"Nothing happened, Dad!" Her dad smiled, clearly amused.

"I trust you. But listen to me, Katie. Make sure you really like him, because I don't know how he'd handle a bad break-up if it came to that. He's an intense kid. What do you know about his plans for the future? I know you don't have to have a degree to be a good man and provide for a family, but he can't spend his whole life in that rotting house."

"His dad's a manager for wrestlers. I didn't know it, but he's actually on television a lot. Have you ever heard of the Undertaker?" she asked. She'd never watched wrestling before, but she'd started tuning in since learning it was what Kane wanted to do. Her father shook his head.

"He's pretty famous. Kane's dad travels with him to all the shows. He's taken Kane this week to meet a trainer." Her father was quiet, perhaps considering the new information.

"As long as he's got some goals, and he treats you right, I've got no problem with it. I like Kane. I can trust he'll take care of you." His only daughter smiled up at him, and as always, he remembered how cute she'd been as a little girl. She still was cute. She didn't have the pig-tails anymore, but she would always be his little girl.

"Thanks, daddy. I know Kane respects you a lot, so I didn't want your opinion of him to change. He asked me if he needed to talk to you, but I told him I wanted to do it."

"Well, you tell him we're still going to have a talk about it, but you have my blessing. I'm proud of you for not being one of those girls that's hung up on having one of those model television singer boys." Earl Vick was far from a model himself, and it sometimes surprised him his daughter had turned out so attractive. He liked that she was willing to look past Kane's scarring and his damaged voice. Her mother had been willing to take a chance on a guy that was less than Prom King and he was still grateful she'd done so nearly twenty-five years later.

He shifted gears in Katie's small car, and pulled into the parking lot of the stadium.

"So is this game going to be any good?" he asked. His daughter waved at the security guard and they were allowed in for free. She was already wearing her uniform, and the game's participants didn't have to pay for parking.

"Our team's doing okay. My coach says I should try out for a professional team. There are going to be some auditions in a few months."

"You should go, but I want you to finish your school. It's important to have something to fall back on."

"I know. I want to go for it, though. I hope Kane's in town and can come with me to the auditions. I don't want to go alone. I asked mom, but she can't take that many days off work." Lisa Vick was a secretary and her boss relied on her heavily.

"That sounds fine. You'll do good." They parked and got out, and Earl made a mental note to check the air in his daughter's tires, and drop her car off to be aligned. The steering wheel had been a bit shaky and it had been a little sticky shifting gears. "Katie, how fast have you been hitting the speed bumps in this car?"

"Not too fast, but they're all over campus and they're really high. I've been worried they're messing up my car."

"They might be throwing off your alignment. I'll get it checked." The father and daughter made their way into the small stadium and parted ways. Lisa showed up a little later with some fast food for dinner, and joined her husband in the stands.

When the family got back home later that night, the phone was ringing. Katie raced to answer it, and Lisa took the opportunity to ask about Kane. Her husband assured her he'd been understanding and accepting. Pleased, because Lisa had a soft-spot for the big kid, she pulled her husband off to the bedroom so Katie could talk with Kane on the phone in privacy.

"Hey, how's it going?" Katie asked.

"Good. I've got a trainer," Kane replied.

"That's great! I knew you could do it. Does this mean you're staying longer?" she asked.

"No, we aren't starting yet. I'm meeting the WWF manager and then I'm coming home. Are you okay?" he asked. She smiled against the phone, always touched when Kane worried about her.

"I'm fine. I talked to my dad about us tonight. He gave us his blessing. He said he trusts you to take care of me and I trust you, too. I miss you, though." Kane was silent for a few moments, and Katie knew her words had made an impact on him. When he spoke, his voice was especially hard to understand, but Katie caught the gist of it.

"I miss you, too. I'll be home soon."

"I know it bugs your throat to talk too much, so I'll let you go. Stay safe. I know you're going to impress the manager. He's going to love you. Bye, Kane," she said.

"Bye, Katie," he replied. Katie hung up the phone, smiling happily as she went into the kitchen for a late-night snack. She couldn't wait for Kane to get back home. She thought of the filthy house he'd be returning to and had an idea. What if she cleaned it up for him? She knew where the spare key was. She was already checking the mail, so she didn't think Kane would mind. She didn't like the idea of him being over there in a place that felt nothing like a home. Her mind made up about how she'd spend her Saturday, she finished up her snack and went to bed.

~*~

Kane was exhausted. He'd never done so much talking in his life. The constant presence of his father was difficult to adjust to, and he'd missed Katie horribly. He was glad he was on a plane home, and glad that his father was not coming back with him. He now had a contract with the WWF, and he'd been promised a match against his brother once his training was complete. Originally, his father was going to bring him to Tennessee to train, but Kane had insisted he train closer to home. Luckily, the trainer his father had originally wanted was fairly busy, and he'd been more than willing to pass Kane off to a friend of his back in Texas. Kane would need a vehicle, but the truck was almost running and he now had the money to pay Mr. Vick for it. The WWF had paid him in advance for the costs of his training and given him plenty. Vince McMahon was ecstatic over the potential money he'd make off of a feud between long-lost brothers. He'd sworn them to silence, wanting the first time Mark learned of his brother's existence to be in the ring. Kane and Paul couldn't be happier with the arrangements.

The pilot announced that they were landing. Kane couldn't wait to get off the plane and see Katie. His first big trip away from home and been pretty much what he expected—people had stared at him like he was a freak wherever he went. He'd asked Vince to order a costume for him that would cover most of his body. He _hated_ feeling people's eyes on him.

Taking his black duffel bag from the overhead compartment, Kane exited the plane. Having no luggage other than his carry-on, he easily got through security and walked into the lobby. Katie was sitting in a chair flipping through a magazine, and Kane took a moment simply to stare at her and know that she was his girlfriend. It was almost impossible to believe.

He came up behind her hand tapped her shoulder. She jumped in surprise and then broke into a huge grin when she saw him. Ignoring the surprised looks of those around her, she used the chair as a stepping stool and happily through her arms around him in a big hug. All the stress of the previous week melted away, and Kane held her gently in his arms. With ease, he lifted her over the chair and set her down in front of him. The height difference between them was huge. He had to lean over to kiss her, and she had to stand on her toes.

"I missed you! I bet you're glad to be home!" she said. He nodded, a smile on his face. She took his hand and they walked to her car. She drove, because he didn't know how to drive a stick-shift. Paul had barely shown him the basics in an automatic, and he technically didn't have a license yet. He'd need to get one though.

"So did you like the trainer?" she asked. He nodded. "Does this mean you'll have to be up there permanently?" He could tell she'd been worried about it. He shook his head no, and gave her a reassuring smile. She looked relieved, and then worried all over again. "But you are going to get your training, right?" He nodded. "In Texas?" He nodded again. He didn't realize how careful she was to always ask yes or no questions until he'd spent a week with people that had no concern for how difficult it was for him to speak.

"Well, I've been busy while you were gone. I hope you don't get mad, but I think you'll like it," she said with a smile. His brows creased downwards, a silent question. What could she possibly have done that would make him mad?

They got into her car, Kane with some difficulty because of how little leg and head room it offered. The drive from the airport was quick, and soon they were in his driveway. He noticed immediately that the house looked different. The lawn had been mowed, and a lot of the junk that had been rusting in the backyard when Paul bought the house had been cleared away.

"My mom and I wanted to do something nice for you, and so we tidied up a bit while you were gone. No offense, but I think my mom's been itching to get her hands on your lawn since we moved in. She pulled up all the weeds like a madwoman on a mission." Kane was shocked. That they had put so much effort into such a disgusting project just to be nice to him was overwhelming.

His next thought was the dirty magazine in his room. Had she found it? It wasn't like he had many things, so he wasn't worried about her going through his stuff, but what if she found the magazine and was angry about it? He looked at her uneasily. Kane pulled out his box.

"I'm sorry about the mess and the..." he trailed off, not sure if he should admit to it or not. She glanced at him and grinned.

"My dad's got a subscription to Playboy. It's no big deal. I'd think you were weird if you didn't have something lying around." Kane took the key from the usual place above the door frame and opened the door. Unlike usual, instead of the smell of cat piss and god-knows-what-else, his house smelled vaguely like Katie's did—lemony and clean. He noticed some windows were propped open, probably to let the old house breathe some fresh air.

Kane marveled. The floors, once grimy, were now a whole different shade. The trash was gone and the tiny kitchen was scrubbed spotless. They'd even replaced the burned out light bulbs in the kitchen.

"I know it was kind of invading your privacy, but I wanted you to be comfortable when you got home after your trip, so I just did it. I'm sorry if I should have asked first."

Kane pressed his box to his throat, thought he didn't quite know what to say.

"Thank you. Nobody's ever taken care of me like this," he finally settled on saying. She blushed and smiled proudly.

"It was kind of fun, in a weird way. I mean, it was gross, but I was really excited to do it for you. I hoped it would be a big surprise. And my mom loves to clean. We turned on some music and made a day of it. I put some meals you can heat up in your fridge. Nothing as good as my mom's stuff, but I'm trying to learn how to cook so you get to be my test subject." Kane was completely overwhelmed. She'd even put flowers in the middle of his kitchen table. The house wasn't going to impress anyone, but it actually felt like a home for once.

The living room was neat and tidy, and some of the bigger stains were missing from the well-worn couch. The place didn't look so dark with the curtains pulled back to let natural light in, and the windows washed so that light could actually penetrate the glass. Kane continued walking through the house almost in awe, discovering that the bathroom was restocked and the grimy shower curtain had been replaced. There were even some new towels on the shelf and fresh bars of soap. Katie had put more effort in than she was letting on.

"I didn't spend a lot of money or anything. Most of it was just extra stuff we had at my house. We weren't going to use it anyway." Kane entered his room and set his bag down, amazed to actually see the tile floor without a layer of dust and dirt. His bed actually had sheets on it, and the blanket he'd used when he'd slept over at their house for a few nights. Kane decided there was no better time than the present to try it out. Smiling, he pulled Katie into the circle of his arms and kissed her, working his way backwards towards the bed. He'd missed her so much. While he'd been gone, he couldn't stop imagining scenarios of Katie with Daniel in his absence. The persistent images had tormented him until he'd finally just called her. Now he knew she'd been doing something special for him while he'd been away, and she really was all his. It hadn't just been a dream.

Their kissing ended slowly, and she sat in his lap gently stroking his brow, running her fingers through his hair. Her sweet smile turned wicked.

"My parents are going to see my grandmother this weekend. I'll have the house all to myself," she said. Kane smirked. She kissed him again, gently guiding his hand to run up her side and touch her breast. "It would be the perfect opportunity for us to...spend some time together," she purred in his ear. He wasn't surprised at what she was suggesting. He knew he was not her first boyfriend—she was far more experienced than he was. He felt his stomach tighten nervously. What if he couldn't please her?

"Hey, why the frown, big guy?" she asked concernedly, tracing his scowl with a soft fingertip. He pressed a light kiss to the digit and made an effort to smile. He considered telling her he'd never had sex before, but the admission was too embarrassing. Besides, he realized with no small amount of shame, all it took was one look at him and she probably already knew.

"Whatever is bothering you can't be that bad. I'm sure lunch will cheer you up. You hungry?" She stood, smiling brightly, tugging gently on his hand. He nodded and stood, and then followed her into the clean kitchen. His father wasn't going to believe it was the same house whenever he next returned. Kane could hardly believe it, either.

He took a seat at the card table that served as a place to eat his microwave meals and gas station burritos. This time, however, it was a home-cooked meal that sat in front of him. Across from him, Katie blew on a spoonful of soup to cool it and Kane wondered how his life was going to change after they were really together by all definitions of the word. As nervous as he was about the weekend to come, he wanted to see all of her healthy, beautiful skin bared to his eyes. What would she look like in the middle of sex? He imagined what his hand would look like fisted in her hair, her soft, silky hair and swallowed thickly.

Her laughter cut him out of his reverie.

"I've caught you checking me out before, but that was a pretty lusty stare you were giving me just now. I didn't know eating soup was such a turn-on." Kane blushed, quickly turning his eyes to his meal. She laughed again, but he knew she wasn't making fun of him. Katie would never make fun of him. Katie was a chain-smoking, green-eyed angel that looked sinfully good in a cheerleading uniform, but an angel nonetheless.

"I've got some homework to do after lunch. You want to work on the truck?" He nodded, grateful for the subject change, and forced himself to eat his meal without thinking about what was underneath Katie's clothing.

~*~

Kane wondered how it was possible for Earl Vick to suddenly seem so intimidating. He still towered a good foot over the man, and he knew he was in much better condition physically, but something about the look in Earl's eyes scared the shit out of him. It was a look that made him think sleeping with his daughter while he was gone over the weekend was playing with fire. Despite the height difference, Mr. Vick was looking down on him—that was perfectly clear.

Katie had popped out of the garage for a few moments for a smoke, leaving him alone with her father for the first time since they'd become a couple. Kane had continued working, not thinking anything of it, until Earl had tapped him on the shoulder.

"I like you, Kane. You're a good kid, and I trust you with Katie, but I'm gonna make myself real clear so there aren't any misunderstandings later. Katie is my little girl. She always will be. If you step out of line with her, I'll break every bone in your body. You understand me, son?"

Kane nodded, wide eyed. Almost instantly, Earl's demeanor changed. He was suddenly the friendly, laid-back man Kane had always pictured when he thought of Katie's father. He tossed a greasy, red rag over his shoulder and patted the truck.

"You've almost finished her up. Never thought I'd see the day she actually ran again. So, what's this I hear about you starting to train for some television show?" Earl asked. Kane, still recovering from Earl's scary personality change, nervously raised his voice box to his throat.

"I'm going to be a wrestler, sir. My trainer lives about an hour away. I want to pay you for the truck, so I can get to my training."

"You don't have to pay me, Kane. I already gave it to you. If you're going to be driving her though, you'll need a license. You're eighteen, aren't you? Katie will have to take you down to the DMV to take the test."

Kane knew from watching television that you had to take a test before you were given a license. He also knew from television that it never seemed to go well. On the other hand, it couldn't be too hard. Everybody drove.

"Take a test for what?" Katie asked, as she came back into the garage.

"For his license. I can give him some lessons as we give her a test drive."

"Oh! Wow, is she finally ready to drive?" Katie asked excitedly. Her father smiled and nodded.

"You ready to test her out, Kane?" he asked. Kane nodded, smiling as well. He started towards the passenger side, but Earl smirked and tossed him a shiny key. "No, she's your truck. You'll drive her first."

Kane grinned and excitedly got behind the wheel. Katie took the middle seat, pressed reassuringly against his side. Earl shut his door and nodded at him to start it up. Kane put the key in the ignition and turned it, worried for a moment until the engine turned over and the truck rattled to life.

"Alright, now hold down the brake and put her in reverse," Earl instructed, cranking the window down and leaning out of it. Unless Kane did something crazy, they'd have plenty of room to coast out of the driveway.

Kane did just fine, however, and the truck smoothly rolled out of the driveway and onto the road. With Earl giving him directions, Kane drove a few laps around the neighborhood and ended at the deserted parking lot of the old elementary school. Katie and Earl guided him into parking and turning, braking smoothly and accelerating.

"I think you've got it," Earl decided, as Kane pulled the truck into his own driveway at Earl's command. "Now I've just got to figure out what I'm gonna do with all that space in my garage," Earl said happily, glancing in the rear view mirror at his own home across the street.

"We should get a pool table," Katie suggested. Her father grinned.

"That's not a bad idea. I used to be a fair shot at pool," Earl boasted. Katie winked at Kane slyly and then addressed her father.

"You care to make a wager, then?" she asked. They all exited the truck, and Earl stared at Katie questioningly.

"What kind of a wager?" he asked suspiciously. Kane watched them banter, the daylight beginning to fade around them, and he realized he wanted to always be a part of their lives. The more time he spent with them, the less time he spent thinking about how angry he was. The thought had occurred to him that maybe all the unfair things that had happened to him in life were only to balance out the really wonderful things that were to come—dating Katie, becoming a son to her parents, and rising to stardom as a wrestler. He casually took Katie's hand, smiling fondly at the way she and her father teased each other. The stakes were high—Katie wanted a puppy. Dolly, she reasoned, was getting older, and she had clearly been considering the idea of a new pet for a long time.

"If we got a bigger dog, he would keep us safe while you were gone," she reasoned. Earl amused by what his daughter was trying to do, just nodded.

"I think Kane's got it covered when I'm out of town. We don't need another flea-bitten mongrel running around under foot," he protested. Katie pouted.

"Well, if you win the game then we won't get one. But if I win, I want another dog. Those are the stakes," she said with a girlish grin. Her father grinned, taking his hat off his head to scratch at his balding hair.

"Uh huh. We'll see. You'll have to win first."

"No, first you'll have to buy the pool table," Katie replied, leaning against Kane's side comfortably, like she belonged there.

"I've worked up a thirst. Let's go sit on the porch. Dinner won't be ready for awhile yet," Earl said, changing the subject away from bets and dogs. As Earl ambled back across the street, Katie smiled up at him.

"I took a class on how to play pool. I'm really good. He's going to let me have my puppy, just you watch," she boasted. Kane just smiled and shook his head, wondering if all daughters were so skillful at getting what they wanted from their fathers, or if Katie was just an exception.

The sun began to set as they settled into the chairs on Katie's porch, cold beers in hand. Kane had never had a beer before, but Earl had fetched one for both himself and Katie, and hadn't acted like it was a big deal to let them drink them.

"But, Daddy, we're not old enough," Katie protested, giggling. Her father snorted.

"Don't play innocent with me. I know what you get up to at those parties of yours."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Katie replied, laughing. It didn't escape either Kane or her father's notice that Katie popped the top off her beer expertly, like she'd been doing it for years. Her father grinned, as if he'd proven his point.

"You better be careful, though. You know I'll skin your hide if you do something stupid—and I don't care whether your sixteen or thirty-four."

"I know, Daddy. I'm always careful," she replied sweetly. The three of them lapsed into silence and Kane gave Katie's hand a gentle squeeze, smiling at her. A few lightening bugs emerged in the twilight, swaying and flickering through the rapidly cooling air. It had been a very good day.

Now that the truck was running, he'd get his license soon and he could start his training. Not to mention, Katie's parents were heading out of town the next morning. He knew Katie was planning something, but he had no idea what. His nerves hadn't faded away completely, but he was reassured by the knowledge that Katie would never make fun of him. He could trust her like he'd never trusted anyone before.


	4. Chapter 4

_Title: _Girl Next Door

_Disclaimer:_Why am I still writing the title at the beginning of every chapter? It's kind of a dumb title now that I think about it. Makes me think of that show about the Playboy bunnies, which makes me think of Kane in a bunny suit. That would be slightly horrifying, I think. Anyway, I don't own WWE, Kane, Katie Vick, or the Playboy bunnies. Pity.

**Chapter 4**

Kane watched discreetly through his curtains as Katie's parents drove away. Katie had told him to keep himself occupied until seven, when he was to come over for whatever she was planning. Kane had spent the day as he had done for years before Katie moved into the neighborhood. He watched television and worked out, pushing his body through an endless litany of crunches, push-ups and squats.

Knowing what was to come that night, Kane was even more relentless in his training, trying to sweat out his nerves. As the time neared, Kane showered and dressed in clothing he'd taken great care to wash as thoroughly as possible. Katie had mentioned going shopping with him at some point over the weekend, and he was glad he'd have her with him, for one, and glad he had his own money to spend. He knew he could never look like the other guys Katie had dated, but he wanted to look as good as was possible. That meant he needed new clothes, and he needed to put a little more effort into his personal hygiene.

But thinking about such things couldn't distract him for very long from his impending date. As ready as he would ever be, he crossed the street and knocked on the front door.

Katie answered it wearing a red, satin robe. Immediately, his mouth went dry. Did she have on anything underneath?

"Come inside already! It's cold outside!" Katie said, breaking him out of his trance. He awkwardly entered, ducking the frame of the door. As impossible as it seemed, Kane had the suspicion that he was still growing. He might even be taller than his brother by the time they faced each other.

The annoying, nagging thoughts about his brother had never been so easy to dismiss before. For one night in his life, his family problems simply didn't exist. For one night, Katie was all that mattered. He noticed some cheesily romantic music was playing on the radio, and the house was darker than it usually was. An elaborate dinner was spread out on the table, lit by candles. Katie had worked hard to make the night special. He smiled lovingly at her, pulling her in for a kiss. He didn't say the words, but she knew he thought it was perfect.

They sat down to eat and hardly spoke, but the tension and the attraction between them sparked between them until they were abandoning their desert half-way through to meet in a furious lip-lock. Katie led him through the small hallway and into her bedroom, but Kane didn't have any time to look around. She pushed him onto the bed and filled his lap, kissing him passionately. A low growl escaped his throat and he switched their positions, so that she was pinned beneath him on the bed. He kissed down her throat, eager to find out if the robe was all she'd been wearing after all, but she was suddenly off the bed out of arm's reach. The move should have been a wrestling maneuver, because Kane had no idea how she'd slipped out of his hold so fluidly. Panting, his eyes found her in the semi-darkness and watched, riveted, as she tugged at the loose knot holding the robe shut. The tightening in his gut turned into a building pressure in his manhood. He watched her from behind the curtain of his hair as she seductively let the robe slip down her shoulders.

Red was his new favorite color. She was sexier than the girls in the magazines. She was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. The black and red bra pushed her soft breasts up attractively, and her flat, smooth tummy went on forever until his eyes reached lacy, red panties. A garter belt completed the lingerie set.

"Like what you see?" Katie asked, her voice a husky purr. Kane couldn't have stared any more intensely than he did. She sauntered forward and undid the button of his pants, sliding down the zipper as she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I want you inside me. I want you _so_ much." The soft whispers from her puffy lips nearly did him in, and he hastened to help her remove his clothing. She helped him pull of his T-shirt and her fingers slid down his chiseled chest and abdomen.

"I can't believe you were hiding _this_ under your shirt!" she exclaimed. For a horrifying moment, Kane thought she was referring to his scars, or to his uneven, monstrously patched skin. Then she added, "You're chest is so sexy—you're practically all muscle," she complimented. His confidence boosted to an all new high, he reached for the straps of her bra. Now it was his turn to see what he'd longed for all these months. He slid one strap down over a lightly tanned shoulder, and Katie helpfully undid the clasp. Her bra fell away, and she moaned as his large hands slid over her bare back and breasts. Giving into the urge, he leaned forward and kissed the hollow of her throat, letting his mouth roam down between the valley of her breasts. Illuminated by the moonlight seeping in through her window, she was perfect in his eyes, a goddess.

He was awkward, and any doubts she might have had about him having tried sex before were firmly erased. She knew it was his first time, but he definitely showed potential. The way he was torn between letting her take the lead and guiding him, and his obvious desire to rip her clothing away and completely possess her made it a night Katie would never forget. His big hands and his muscular body completely turned her on. She'd always liked big, strong guys, and Kane was the biggest and strongest by far. She'd been with others more skillful, but none that obviously worshiped her.

She hadn't been that into cheerleading during high school, but she'd definitely been into the football team. Kane unknowingly benefited from all her experience as she gave him time to recover and then skillfully used her mouth in a way that left Kane gasping for breath, his big shoulders tensing and completely relaxing as she worked him over.

Afterwards, she tucked herself against his side and fell asleep instantly, wrapped up protectively in his big arms.

~*~

Kane woke up slowly, the sunshine particularly bright in his mismatched eyes. It took him a few seconds to orient himself. He was in a soft bed, partially covered by a purple blanket, one corner of which featured some embroidered kittens. Clearly, he wasn't at home.

The memory of the previous night washed over him like a wave, and he smiled. The only problem was that he was alone in bed. Katie should have still been tucked against him to make it a perfect morning, but he could hear the shower running and assumed she'd woken up before him. He took the opportunity to look around her room. The walls were painted a cheery shade of yellow. She had a vanity that was decorated with polaroids of her and friends. There was a Madonna poster on her wall that looked like it had been through a few moves and was a little worse for wear. She was clearly a little messy; even though her room was tidy, it felt cluttered with stuffed animals, photo frames, books, magazines, and tapes. Her closet door was cracked open, and Kane could see that the small space was packed full of clothes in messy disarray, just barely contained by their hangers.

She appeared in the doorway in a towel, glancing around at all her stuff.

"I know it's kind of junky, but my dad always brings me things he buys on the road, stuff from truck stops and souvenir shops. I can't throw any of it away. I guess I'm just sentimental." Kane smiled and lifted up the corner of the blanket covered with the god-awful fluffy kittens. She laughed.

"My grandma made it for me! Besides, it's a comfy blanket. I know you secretly like it. You just can't admit that you have a soft spot for fuzzy baby kittens." He gave her a look that masterfully conveyed unspoken sarcasm. He gestured for her to come closer, and she happily obeyed. Kane was still nude, but he only felt mildly uncomfortable so exposed. Katie seemed to see him differently than he saw himself. Her eyes were never afraid when she looked at him. Besides, she clearly had no problem with the way he looked if last night had been any indication.

He tugged a bit playfully on her towel, eager to see her again. She laughed, and let him have what he wanted.

"I'm starting to think I showered for no reason," she said between heated kisses. Kane smirked, but couldn't reply. He didn't know where his voice box was in the heap of their clothing, and he had better things to do with his mouth anyway. Kane thought he did much better the second time around, and Katie's encouraging moans and gasps seemed to agree with him.

When they finished, they moved things to the shower, where they discovered it was laughably difficult to maneuver together inside the small tub considering Kane's size. Water got everywhere, and Kane didn't get very clean, but it definitely worked up an appetite for breakfast.

Fully clothed again, they ate toast and cereal and contemplated the possibilities of the day.

"I can help you study for the DMV test. I think I still have the book of the laws somewhere in my closet."

Kane pressed his box to his throat and smirked.

"Your closet's a mess. You won't find it." She stuck her tongue out at him and as if to prove him wrong, went to locate the book. They got comfortable on the couch and set to their respective tasks—Katie had a test to prepare for as well. The afternoon slipped by them and Katie was able to convince Kane to go with her to get some fast food. He could practice his driving that way.

Kane hardly ever left the neighborhood, and his reluctance was obvious. With minimal urging, however, Katie got him behind the wheel of the truck. At the fast food place, Kane let Katie do the ordering in the drive through, and tried not to clench the steering wheel too hard when it came time to pull up to the window. Surprised by his appearance, the acne-covered cashier dropped the soda he was holding, spilling it all down the side of the truck, along with the exclamation "Holy shit!" Kane glared, and the cashier, a small, jumpy kid, began stumbling through an apology.

"What the hell are you staring at?! Go get another coke!" Katie's voice broke into his angry, self-loathing thoughts, startling Kane as much as it did the cashier. Kane turned to her in surprise, but she was glaring past him into the restaurant.

"Some people are so damn rude! I have half a mind to complain to his manager. Ugh. That little punk better not spit in my drink now." Kane didn't smile, but his grip on the wheel relaxed ever so slightly. It didn't matter if everyone else in the world recoiled when they saw him. Katie liked him. That was all he needed.

The cashier returned, extending the food with shaking hands. Katie didn't make it any easier on him.

"You spilled coke all over our truck, and you were extremely rude. What are you going to do about that?" Katie demanded. Kane started to feel less like he wanted to throttle the guy, and more worried that he was going to have to keep Katie from doing so instead. He'd never seen her so riled.

Kane realized with a smirk that it was turning him on. Kane had never been so completely and easily distracted away from his anger and embarrassment before. No longer caring what the snot-nosed cashier thought of him, his only desire was to get Katie home so he could show her just how cute her temper was.

The cashier stuttered out that it was free of charge, and Kane's smirk grew and he pulled away. Katie was mumbling and cursing, inspecting her food.

"I can't believe that guy! Is that what people normally do when you go out? No wonder you stay home. Stupid jerk-face! Does this look like spit to you?" she asked, holding out her burger. Grinning, Kane glanced at it and then looked back to the road. He needed to focus.

He couldn't resist nodding though.

That set her off again, and she was still ranting when he parked his truck in the driveway. He silenced her by leaning over and kissing her, accidentally squishing the paper bag between them. When the kiss ended, Katie looked at him, flushed and wide-eyed.

"Aren't you mad at me for making you go?" she asked in a small voice. Using his voice box, Kane replied.

"You're cute when you're angry, but let's eat. I'm starving." She gave him a tentative smile and they headed back to her place. Katie seemed determined to make it up to him for the rude kid's unkindness, and Kane enjoyed her efforts until it was nearly time for Katie's parents to return. Katie was careful to make sure he ended up on the couch and she ended up in her bedroom, but as innocent as they appeared when the Vicks returned the next morning, Kane knew everything had changed over the weekend.

He knew he was in love.

~*~

Katie looked on eagerly as he opened the large, flat box. Kane sat on his living room floor, dressed in a new pair of blue jeans and a sweatshirt. Katie had finally taken him shopping and he'd started his training. They had been together for nearly two months.

"Come on, open it faster!" Katie urged. Grinning, Kane easily ripped away a flap of the cardboard to partially reveal what lay inside. "It's red, that's a good start. You look good in red," Katie commented, finally unable to take the suspense anymore she pulled the garment out. Kane stood, taking the suit from her and holding it against his frame. He raised an eyebrow at Katie, who beamed.

"It looks very, very awesome." She glanced down at the box and then retrieved the last piece of the costume. "Look, you have a mask, too! How mysterious. I'm glad—I don't want all those girls seeing you on television and come sniffing around what's mine."

Kane seriously doubted she had anything to worry about on that score. Rather, he would be the one to worry having to travel so much, and leaving Katie by herself. The fear that she'd find someone else lessened each day, though, as they grew closer and closer together. She hadn't told him that she loved him, but he suspected she might. It was just the way she looked at him sometimes, like the words were on the tip of her tongue but she was holding them back, perhaps not yet ready to admit to them.

Kane understood her hesitation. He was pretty sure the look he saw in her eyes was mirrored in his own.

He carefully folded the costume up and returned it to the box. Katie passed him the mask, and he ran his fingers over it for a few seconds before he put it on. The world looked different somehow through the mask, and he saw visions of himself facing his brother through the eye holes, tantalizing images of what his brother would look like in pain. He would pull his punches like he was being trained for everyone else—but never for the Undertaker. He would make his brother suffer all the pain he'd felt since he'd been left alone...left for dead.

"Are you thinking about him—your brother?" Katie asked, bringing him back to reality. He had explained briefly why he was so obsessed with the idea of revenge on his brother, but he hadn't gone into detail. That was a part of his life that was separate from Katie. Her green eyes were full of worry as she gazed up at him. "You look different when you're thinking about him—scary. I hate seeing that look in your eyes. Take the mask off now, would you? It's creeping me out," she pleaded.

Kane frowned, pulling the protective mask off his face. He liked how it made him feel, like he was shielded from all the horrified eyes. Katie's hands gently caressed his face and she smiled at him.

"That's better. Maybe if you ask your manager, he won't make you wear it. It can't be comfortable." Katie's sudden dislike of the mask made him curious. For the first time in years, he wanted to look at himself in the mirror—wearing the mask, of course. He decided he would do so later, after Katie left. How strange that Katie thought he looked frightening with the mask instead of without it. Maybe his girlfriend just needed to have her vision checked.

"It all seems really official now, huh? You're really doing it. I mean, you have a uniform and everything," Katie said, clearly changing the subject away from his brother. She knew he wouldn't talk about him.

Kane nodded absently to her question, his thoughts turning to what he wanted for dinner. He walked into the kitchen, and Katie followed after him. She sat at the table, watching him rummage through the fridge.

"Oh, hey, I need your help this Friday. It's this assignment for class. I have to practice putting a cast on someone, cut if off once it dries, and bring it in for my professor to grade." Kane knew Katie was getting licensed to be a nursing assistant, so the request didn't seem odd. He shrugged.

"Thanks. I'd put it on my mom, but she'd just nag me the entire time, convinced I'm doing it wrong and that I'm going to cut off her arm or something. Oh, and there's this party Friday, too. I know it's not your thing, but my friend on the squad invited me so I want to at least make an appearance. I'd like you to come, of course, but I understand if you don't want to." Kane didn't shrug or nod, and Katie hid a small sigh. She hadn't expected otherwise, but a small part of her wished Kane was more open to doing new things.

She ruthlessly reminded herself of the looks he got out in public and asked herself how she would feel if she was in his shoes. The desire for more normalcy didn't go away; her thoughts only made her feel guilty. She'd known Kane wasn't a normal guy when they'd started dating. In fact, that's what she'd liked so much about him. Now for her to want him to be like other people their age was cruel and unfair of her.

Parties were getting old anyway. In fact, after her friend's party, she decided she would be done with the party scene. She'd focus on school and Kane—the two things that actually mattered in her life.

Kane sat across from her with his microwave meal and dug in heartily. She watched him with a fond smile.

"Hey, your costume does look good. I didn't mean to imply that I don't like it. I guess if it wasn't scary, then it wouldn't do its job, right?" Kane shot her a quick smile, wordlessly letting her know he wasn't upset with her. He went back to his meal, and Katie's thoughts drifted to what she would wear to the party in a few days.


	5. Chapter 5

_Title:_ Girl Next Door

_Disclaimer:_Don't own it. I kind of own Katie Vick, but I tried not to get too attached. I knew her time with me was brief, only four chapters. Aw, goodbyes are so hard.

**Chapter 5**

Daniel had been hitting on her all night. At first she'd been annoyed, and planned to leave, but the light rain that had started on her way to the party had turned into a torrential downpour. Megan, her friend on the squad, had turned on the news to show the flash flood warnings.

"Of course it would be on the night of my party," she complained. Katie sighed in annoyance and glanced out the window. She was the only one concerned. Everyone else packed into Megan's apartment was happily drinking and enjoying themselves. She wanted to call home, but she didn't want either her mother or Kane to drive in such bad weather. Her mother's vision wasn't that great, and Kane had only gotten his license a few weeks prior. She was stuck where she was for the moment.

As someone cranked up the music, she thought longingly of curling up with Kane on the couch and wondered why she hadn't just stayed home.

"Come on, Katie, relax! The storm's a sign that you should stay and have some fun for once. Don't worry—your scary boyfriend isn't here so he can't get mad if you dance with me," Daniel said, offering her a beer. She forgave him for the comment about Kane because she could tell he had already drank quite a bit. She accepted the beer with a huff of annoyance, popping the top off and chugging it down expertly. It looked as though she really would be stuck at Megan's for the night, so she might as well enjoy the party. After all, it was supposed to be her last one.

"That's my girl! Chug!" Daniel encouraged. She put the empty beer bottle down on the window ledge with a satisfying clink. She wiped a little foam off her lip and frowned at the beefy football player.

"I'm not your girl. Be a darling and get me another beer, would you?" she asked with a fake smile. Daniel lumbered off, and Megan shot her an apologetic look from across the room, where another guy from the team was excitedly nibbling at her shoulder. Daniel returned quickly with a beer and a shot. She took the shot and worked on the beer more slowly. She wasn't very big, after all, and while she could definitely handle her drink, she was starting to push it at three beers, a rum and coke, and a shot of god-knows-what.

Daniel was going on about some concert he'd gone to, and leaning far closer to her than he should have. Finally, just to shut him up, she pulled him over where other people were dancing to Journey. She liked their music, and let herself enjoy the powerful guitar riffs blasting out of the boom box. Daniel put his arms around her, but she shrugged him off, preferring to dance by herself. A few seconds later he tried again, and this time she didn't push him away. She was enjoying dancing too much to care. Someone handed her another drink and she finished it off, tossing the plastic cup carelessly to the ground. One of the dancers tripped and landed on Megan's coffee table, breaking it clean in two. Everyone laughed, even Megan, and Katie told herself she needed to remember the story to tell to Kane—people falling through tables was a wrestling thing, after all.

She found herself in a bedroom while trying to find a bathroom, and was mildly disgusted to realize that three people were having sex on the bed. She turned to leave, but Daniel blocked the exit, his large body filling the frame almost entirely. He moved forward agilely and pushed her into a corner. Katie's head spun, and she thought for a second she was going to throw up. Daniel was slobbering all over her neck, and Katie didn't immediately push him off for fear moving would make her puke. When her stomach settled, she weakly shoved at the burly football player. It was about as effective as pushing on a door you had to pull to open.

"Let me go," she slurred, "I have a boyfriend!" she added, putting more force into her pushing to no avail. His hand was on her hip, sliding up under her shirt, and she wormed away from it. The room tilted and she cursed, suddenly aware that Daniel was tugging on her panties underneath her jean skirt. "Stop it! Let go!" she said forcefully, stomping on his foot as hard as she could manage. The move made her lose her balance, and with her panties around her knees, she fell forward, rolling over weakly after landing hard on her forearms. Daniel came down with her, finally managing to get her panties all the way off as he undid the button on his jeans. Katie was trapped under him, and she turned her head up, trying to catch the attention of one of the people on the bed, but they were all extremely distracted.

When she felt Daniel's hand on her inner thigh, something kicked into gear and she began to scream. Daniel's hand clamped over her mouth, but someone had heard her. Another guy from the team she only vaguely recognized came in, pushing Daniel off her. Crying, Katie stumbled to her feet and out of the bedroom. She located the bathroom, roughly pulled a girl out that was fixing her make-up at the mirror, and slammed and locked the door. She heaved into the toilet the second she reached it, and realized she'd let things get out of control. She'd gone to parties for years and had never drank too much or let a guy go too far, and her parents had always trusted that she could do that, but here she was like some stupid little teenager stuck at an apartment drunk off her ass and she'd nearly been raped.

The smell rising up out of the toilet made her sick all over again. She slid to the tile floor, realizing she was feeling the cold tile against her butt. That stupid prick had taken off her panties! A new wave of furious tears poured down her cheeks and she stood unsteadily, going to the sink to try and get control of herself. She was okay. Nothing had happened. She'd gotten away from him in time. She splashed cold water on her face and tried to think of what to do. There was a gas station next to the apartment complex, and she had the quarter she always carried in her back pocket in case she needed to make a call. With a trembling hand, she checked the tiny pocket to make sure the quarter (and her car key) was still there. Feeling it's round, smoothness, she embarrassedly tugged her skirt down as far as she could. Why had she worn such a short one?

She was drunk, but she knew better than to go back out into the party. Daniel was still out there, and the guy that had helped her out hadn't been sober either. Nobody was. She heard the wail of cop sirens and that made her decision for her. She needed to get out. She hastily undid the clasp on her heels and left the shoes in the bathroom. They'd been cheap and uncomfortable anyway. Using the toilet as a step-stool, she opened the bathroom window and peered out at the fire escape. It looked sturdy enough. The rain was still pounding down mercilessly, but Katie was flexible and sure-footed, now that her fright had sobered her up a little. By some miracle, she made it out onto the fire escape with no problems. Scaling down the ladder was more difficult, as she kept getting dizzy and her grip would weaken, but she didn't lose her hold and slip until she was only a few feet from the ground. The air was knocked out of her, and she knew she'd be bruised in the morning, but she was otherwise fine. Completely soaked, crying and miserable, she made her way across the parking lot towards the gas station. She couldn't see the cops because of the heavy sheets of rain, but she knew they were probably breaking up the party and making arrests.

Katie hoped Megan didn't get into too much trouble and then focused instead on not stepping on glass or something. She gratefully hobbled underneath the gas station's awning, fishing out her quarter with trembling fingers. The rain was cold, and she was soaked to the bone. Her night couldn't possibly get any more miserable.

She dialed her house and her mother's sleepy voice answered after a few rings.

"Katie?" he mother asked, quickly waking up. "I thought I heard you come in hours ago! Where are you?!" her mother questioned. "It's flooding!" she added as further admonishment, before Katie could get a word in edgewise.

"Momma, please go get Kane and tell him to come get me at the gas station on...shit...I don't know where it is. There's a movie theater across the street, I think. Mom, a guy tried to...but I got away, and I went out the window in the bathroom and down the fire escape, but I'm really cold and I can't drive and I don't have any shoes," Katie said in a long slur. On the other end of the line, all of Lisa's motherly nightmares were coming true. Her daughter was stranded somewhere after drinking too much, cold and wet, making poor choices and being taken advantage of.

"Which movie theater, sweetheart? You have to tell me what the name of it is," she coaxed. Her daughter took a moment to reply, and when she answered she wasn't holding the phone to her ear. Lisa understood enough, though. She knew her car would just get flooded out in the rain—it was barely up off the ground. She'd have to go wake up Kane to use his truck. "Baby, I'm going to get Kane, but don't hang up the phone, do you hear me? You stay on the line. Do NOT hang up!" Lisa put the phone down and tried to stay calm as she rushed out the front door in the downpour. Katie was safe for the moment. They only had to get to her, and she'd be fine.

Kane was quick to answer the door. He must have known something was seriously wrong just by the look on Lisa's face. He pulled her inside, his intense, mismatched eyes full of questions.

"It's Katie! I thought she came home, but I guess I was hearing things because she just called me from the party. She's had too much to drink and some guy was trying to force her, but she said she went out the bathroom window and now she's at a gas station. In this rain, my car will stall out. She's still on the phone. I need the truck," Lisa said.

Kane already had his box against his throat, "Where is she?" he asked gruffly, his words distorted and frightening sounding. Lisa told him the name of the movie theater and Kane was gone before she could even get a word out. As he left, she heard him yell for her to stay on the phone with Katie.

"It's probably best this way—I can't see well enough to drive in this weather, but Kane just got his license! Damn that girl, I don't care if she is eighteen, I'm going to pull her over my knee and give her the spanking of her life for this stunt!" Lisa hurried back across the street, dripping water all over her house, and desperately pressed the phone against her ear. "Katie?" she asked.

"I'm here. I'm really cold, Mom. Can't I go in the gas station?"

"Okay, but Kane's coming to get you in the truck. You stay in the gas station, alright? Don't go wandering off!"

"I won't, Mom. I'm sorry," her daughter slurred. Lisa tried to stay angry, but she pictured how pathetic her daughter must look wet and terrified and she just couldn't do it.

"It's okay, sweetheart, I love you. It's going to be alright. We'll get you home and warm and then we can call the police to file a report."

"I love you," Katie replied back, and then the line went dead. Lisa's heart began to beat erratically, and she was crying when she hung up the phone. Something just felt horribly, horribly wrong. Every instinct in her body was screaming at her, but there was nothing she could do but wait.

She wasn't a religious woman, but she found herself sitting on the couch by the phone, praying with everything she had that Kane and Katie would make it home safely.

~*~

Kane wasn't entirely sure of the way, but after a wrong turn he managed to come up behind the theater. A few minutes later and he was at the deserted gas station. He got out, soaked, and went inside. Immediately Katie jumped into his arms, shaking like a leaf and sobbing.

"You drove in this weather? You're crazy! I kept telling her nobody would make it through this storm. She's drunk off her ass, though," the gas station attendant commented. "She been sobbing and kicking up a fuss ever since she came in. She didn't buy anything, either."

Kane thought perhaps the man hadn't taken a good look at him. He let Katie go and walked up to the counter, slamming his fist down and immediately getting the smaller man's attention. Kane didn't have his box handy, but he didn't need words to get his point across. The man shut up, and Kane went back to Katie, wrapping her up in his arms. He wished he could offer her words of comfort, but he could only stroke her wet hair back and hug her. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. Ready to be back home, and knowing Lisa was probably out of her mind with worry, Kane decided to risk driving in the rain again. He noticed Katie wasn't wearing shoes, so he easily picked her up and carried her out to the truck. As she crawled in, he saw she wasn't wearing panties, and he knew she'd been wearing them when she left.

His blood boiled. When he found the prick that had dared to touch what was his, he was going to destroy him. He climbed into the truck and started the engine. The truck sputtered a few times and then died. Kane grunted in frustration and hit the steering wheel, turning the key again. Nothing.

"Let's just take my car," Katie said. Ignoring her, Kane got out and popped the hood, trying not to let too much rain splatter down onto the engine. He was greeted with a cloud of smoke. He let the hood drop, and got back into the cab. He felt around on the dashboard for his voice box, but it had slid off somewhere. Ignoring Katie's slurred questions, he fumbled around on the floorboard until he found it.

"I can't drive your car!" Kane said forcefully, instantly silencing his girlfriend with his outburst. New tears welled up in her eyes and Kane closed his eyes tightly, trying to control his temper. He wasn't mad at her; well, he was partially, but he was truly mad at the dick that had tried to force himself on her. Knowing said dick was just one building over wasn't improving his mood. He needed to stay calm, though, and not go over there and kill the guy.

They needed to get home.

"Please, I don't want to sit at this gas station all night. I want to see my mom. Please take me home, just take me home, please, please," Katie begged, crying and hugging herself tightly. Her hair hung pathetically around her face, wet and bedraggled. She was shivering, and Kane's truck didn't have a working heater or AC.

"Come on," he growled, as he got out of the truck. He went around to her side and carried her bridal style across the parking lot, having some difficulty finding her vehicle in the dark. He finally sat her down on the trunk, and she fished out the key. Not too far away, police officers had arrived en masse and were making arrests. Kane got Katie into the car and then scanned the guys being pulled out of the apartment. Which one was the one who'd hurt Katie?

It was impossible to know until she told him (and she _would_ tell him) so he got into the car with an irritated growl and slammed his door harder than necessary. Katie's car jumped to life instantly, and he fiddled with the heater until it was blasting hot air onto Katie's bare arms.

He was about to ask Katie to explain how to drive the thing, but then he doubted she'd be able to give him good instructions in her current state. As if to prove his point, she bent her head down between her knees and violently puked. Kane grimaced. She would not be happy about that in the morning.

Deciding it couldn't be that difficult, he tried to copy what he'd seen Katie do. It was fairly easy, to get it going, but it was making some unhappy noises when he shifted it. The headlights barely penetrated the dark rain, but Kane carefully and slowly backed out of the parking spot and drove past the police officers. He pulled out onto the road, grinding the gears again, and drove forward. He was doing fine until he got to the darker roads leading into the neighborhood. Without the street lamps, he was practically blind. The car was making strange noises, so he toggled with the stick and was suddenly going too fast for his liking.

It happened in seconds. Katie looked up and saw the dog in the road, leaned over and jerked on the wheel so they wouldn't hit him, and the right side of the car impacted with an unyielding tree in a horrific scream of twisting metal. Kane struggled out of the airbag and blinked rapidly, the air knocked out of his lungs. His hand fumbled along the side of the door until he caught the latch and it sprung open, spilling him out into the wet grass and mud. He got to his knees and crawled towards the hood, slipping in the rain when he tried to stand. The car was a tangle of metal and smoke, and Kane couldn't see through the rain well enough to check Katie's condition. His heart seemed to be stopped in his chest as he made his way around the back, realizing with horror that, while some of the trunk had impacted with the tree, mostly it had been Katie's side of the car. He couldn't open her door. He got the back one open and crawled in, already knowing what he was going to find. He felt hot tears on his face as he located Katie's small body amidst the deflating air bag, the shattered glass, twisted metal and stray tree limbs. She hadn't been wearing a seatbelt, and so she was crumpled up where the bag had pushed her, bloody and completely still. Kane reached to feel for a pulse, praying he would find one, but when he touched her, her head rolled back like a rag-doll's and he realized her neck was snapped, broken like the fragile, delicate little thing it was. Her beautiful green eyes were wide and unseeing as the haunting, broken image of the girl he loved stared up at him.

Sick to his stomach, Kane threw up in the back seat and then fought his way out of the car, puking again when he hit the grass. He sat against the car crying soundlessly, huge sobs that shook his massive frame. He didn't know how much time passed till the flashing lights of a police car illuminated the grisly scene. He was being asked questions, but he couldn't reply. He was taken to a hospital in the back of an ambulance. Katie was taken in a body bag.

~*~

Lisa Vick hadn't been able to make it to the hospital that night. Her car stalled out close to the exit to the neighborhood, and it wasn't till she called a taxi in the morning that she was able to come identify the body of her daughter. Her husband flew home, arriving at the hospital not long after his wife.

Paul Bearer was called, but upon learning that Kane was fine, he decided a trip home was too inconvenient. He left Kane the message to fly to Washington where the show was filming if he needed to get away. He passed on his condolences about the girl, but reminded Kane that he needed to focus on his revenge against his brother, and love only caused trouble. Some people weren't meant to have happiness.

Kane threw the message away, after methodically ripping it into as many little pieces as he could. There were many thing he'd forgiven his father for, but his harsh words about Katie would never be forgotten or forgiven. Before they released him, Lisa and Earl found him in the hospital. When he saw them, Kane didn't know what to do. He cried, because he couldn't apologize with words, and Lisa hugged him, crying as well. Earl kept his distance, clearly angry, though obviously struggling to restrain himself from venting that anger on Kane. The rest of that horrible day passed in a blur. All Kane really remembered was driving home in the back of a taxi and scowling at the rainbows that filled the sky, hating everything.

He couldn't look at the spot he knew they'd crashed at, couldn't bear the sight of the mauled tree. At home, he was reminded of how Katie had cleaned the place up for him the first time he'd left home, how she'd cooked him meals in the kitchen, how they'd made love on his bed, just hours before she'd left for the party, to the sound of rain lightly tapping on the windows. Why hadn't he gone with her? She'd asked him to come, but he'd been too embarrassed of his burned face to go. He'd let her go alone. He remembered everything and he couldn't block any of it out. He'd never felt so alone, and never experienced so much pain in his young life. Nothing, _nothing_, would ever be right again.

~*~

Kane was finally able to apologize to the Vick's at the funeral, and to tell them about Katie's last hours. In the newspaper article that was written about the incident, they revealed that someone else at the party remembered a big guy trying to have his way with her in a bedroom, but he'd been drunk as well and didn't remember enough to make an identification. Katie's parents had refused to talk to the reporters, but at least they had the peace of mind to know that their daughter had not been raped before her death. She'd been frightened, badly shook up and a little drunk, but when Kane had reached her, she'd been okay. She hadn't died frightened or in pain. When Kane told them about the dog, Earl broke down into tears.

"She cared so much about everything. Loved that dog of hers like it was her kid. I should have let her have all the blasted animals she wanted. I should have—" What Earl should or shouldn't have done was never said. He leaned onto his wife's shoulder and said nothing more. The other people at the funeral looked on in pity, and Kane's jaw tensed over and over in an effort to keep his own tears at bay.

"She died on impact. She didn't feel any pain," Kane finished quietly, pulling the box away from his throat and wishing, not for the first time, that his voice didn't sound so horrible. The description of their daughter's last moments shouldn't have sounded like it came through a crackling radio.

"Kane, this wasn't your fault. We don't blame you. You need to know that. None of us were thinking straight that night, and there's no point in blaming ourselves for what we could have done different. I know she loved you. She wouldn't want you to be unhappy," Lisa's words were almost unintelligible between her soft sobs. Unable to stand it anymore, Earl left the church and his wife, following after the others who had already gone.

Kane wished he knew what to say to ease some of Lisa's pain, but all he could offer was the simple statement, "I loved her."

Lisa left, too, then, and Kane stood alone in the quiet church with the opened casket. It was the first time he'd been in a church. He vowed he'd never step foot in one again. Slowly, as if magnetically drawn to it against his will, he was pulled to the side of the casket. He hadn't gone to the wake. He didn't feel like he was strong enough to look at her without breaking down completely. Now, he didn't want to see her either, but he couldn't look away.

It was like she was sleeping. Kane sighed in broken relief, thankful beyond measure that her big, green eyes weren't staring lifelessly up at him like they had the night of the crash. His hand rose of its own accord and gently brushed some of her hair off her forehead, ghosting over her beautiful skin, unmarred by the cuts and abrasions he remembered in his mind's eye. She was still his angel, and now she would always be that way. Time would not destroy her slowly. He leaned down and kissed her forehead, the gentlest brush of lips he could manage, and then stood, his hands resting on the smooth wood of the casket as he stared at her for the last time.

When he was ready, he said goodbye and let her go. While he was there with her in the church, he found some small amount of peace, but later, watching her casket lowered into the ground, he thought of his brother.

He thought of his brother, who so loved to play at burying people on television, who loved to say he was some sort of friend to Death. The Undertaker, who dared to make a mockery out of the grief of such ceremonies on a weekly basis. He wondered, if his brother hadn't left him so scarred and deformed...if he hadn't been ashamed to go to the party with Katie, what would their ending have been together? Would he have her still, if it wasn't for all the damage his brother had caused?

As Katie was taken from him forever, he thought of the man that claimed to know so much about death but who couldn't truly know anything at all. Kane knew what it felt like to lose parents. He now knew the grief of losing the woman he loved. Soon, he vowed, as the first handful of dirt was tossed into the open grave, soon the Undertaker would know the pain of mocking that grief. He would feel pain for playing dress-up and using the memories of Kane's loved ones like props. He would suffer for Katie, for Kane's mother and father, for the burns he'd inflicted on Kane. He would suffer for it all, and especially for the murder of what could never be regained.

He would suffer for the murder of Kane's happiness.

A/N: I laughed writing the line at the end where Kane gets mad at Taker for using his dead parents as a "prop." Oh, poor, dear little Kane, just wait till you see the "prop" Triple H uses! Tee hee hardy har har. Well, that's it folks.


End file.
